Collapsible ice bunker



termine-d temperature.

Patented ug. 18, 1942 COLLAPSIBLE 'ICE BUNKER Horace Giddings, San Francisco, Calif. Application September 26, 1940, Serial No. 358,381

tCl. (i2- 19) 13 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerator cars used to transport perishable commodities at a prede- The essential features of a refrigerator car are an insulated body to prevent or retard ingress of heat during warm weather and egressof heat during cold weather and a cooling means and sometimes a heating means to vbe used during warm and cold weather respectively.

The invention relates particularly to a collapsible ice bunker for a refrigerator car. Such a bunker comprises a bulkhead which extends between the side walls of the car in spaced relation to the end wall, thereby forming the ice bunker between the bulkhead and the wall. Ice in the lump or crushed form is deposited in the bunker and the car is refrigerated by the melting of the ice. When the bunker is collapsed the bulkhead is moved to a position adjacent the end wall in flatwise relation therewith. This leaves substantially the entire interior of the car available for the lading and the car may be operated in standard box car service, in ventilated service often provided for perishable commodities, or for top icing service sometimes provided for other types of perishable commodities. l

An object of the invention is to provide a bunker which, when collapsed, infringes but little upon the lading space of the car. The bulkhead is provided 'with corrugations which nest in somewhat similar corrugations associated with the end wall of the car.

Another object is to provide aforaminous member which serves the dual purpose of forming a grate for supporting a refrigerant when the bunker is in its extended position or forming an extension of the oor rack for supporting the lading when the bunker is collapsed. Such foraminous member is preferably immovably Xed within the car so that no adjustment thereof is necessary for the conversion from one to the other of said purposes. A further object is to utilize said foraminous member as a support for the lower edge of the bulkhead and a still further object is to align the supporting elements of both said foraminous member and the conventional floor rack for the purpose of providing a path for the unrestricted flow of air.

Another object is to provide a bulkhead having great strength for the purpose of resisting substantially the enter endwise thrust of the lading when the bunker is in the extended position and of reinforcing the end wall of the car when the bunker is collapsed.

Another object is to provide a collapsible bunker which may be adjusted to either of its positions without the use of special tools kor ttings. All the parts required are attached to the car in such a way that they are readily available for i positioning the bulkhead in either position.

It is a further object to provide-a plate having vertically extending corrugations in both the bulkhead and the end wall of the car. In addition to adding strength to the bulkhead and end wall, the corrugations form flues for the circulation of air Within the car. The plates are cooled by conduction from the ice and tongues or inverted louvers are formed in the plate, which tongues or inverted louvers project into the ues and further cool the air circulating therein.

So-called top icing has recently come into extensive use inthe shipment of certain products, principally freshvegetables. In cases Where the products are packed in crates or boxes, ice which may be cracked or in small lumps is inserted Within the crates during the packing thereof and also between the crates during loading of the refrigerator car. VAfter the car is loaded more ice, which may be cracked or Ipreferably pulverized, is placed on top of the load. The pulverized ice is commonly loaded by blowing it through a hose into the car. A refrigerator car equipped with the collapsible bunker described herein is particularly suitable for the use of top icing because there are no obstructions under the ceiling to interfere with the blowing ofthe ice.

yOther objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from'the following detailed description b-y referring to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a transverse section through a refrigerator car embodying my invention and showing the bunker in its extendedposition.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the bunker in its collapsed position.

Fig. 3 is a plan section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. l

Fig; 4 is a plan section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section through the lading compartment of the car adjacent the bulkhead as indicated by line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the side wall of the -car adjacent the ice bunker'as indicated by line 6-16 of Fig. 4.

The refrigerator car shown inthe drawings comprises the usual side walls A, end walls B. floor C and roof D. A carline 2 helps support the roof D and also provides a support for the bulkhead as will be hereinafter described. Hatches 3 are provided in the roof D which are used for loading refrigerant into the bunkers when the car is operated under refrigeration and for directing air into the car when the bunker is collapsed and/or the car is to be used as a ventilator. The end wall B of the car is comprised of a metallic plate 5 extending between and secured to the opposite corner posts 6 of the car and provided with outwardly projecting substantially horizontal corrugations 8 which function as beams extending, effectively, between the corner posts 6.

The inner surface of the end wall B is also a metallic plate 9 formed with inwardly projecting and vertically extending corrugations Il. The corrugations II at their upper ends merge (I2) into the plane of the plate 9, while at the lower margin of the plate the plate is cut (I4) through the corrugations II. Apertures I5 are provided `in the upper merging parts I2 of the corrugations II for the `entrance of air into the flues I1 which are included between the corrugations vII of the plate 9 and the end wall insulation I8. Some means. such as a metallic plate or heavy paper, may be provided between the end wall insulation I8 and the plate 9 to keep the insulation out of the flues I1.

The bulkhead 25 comprises a metallic plate 26 formed with vertically extending corrugations 2B which merge (29) at their upper ends into the plane of the plate 26. The plate 25 is cut off (3|) through the corrugations 28 at the lower margin of the plate. Horizontally extending reinforcing members 33, 34, preferably angles, are provided at both the upper and lower margins of the plate 25,. A relatively rigid sheathing 36, preferably made of wood, is secured to the side of the corrugated plate adjacent the lading compartment 31 of the car to form flues 39 between the sheathing 35 and the corrugations 23. The central part of the car is provided with the conventional floor rack 40 and the end portion of the car is provided with an auxiliary rack 42 which is used as a floor rack when the bulkhead is in the position shown in Fig. 2 and is used as an ice grate when the bulkhead is in the position shown in Fig. 1. preferably comprises spaced apart diaphragms 43 having their webs disposed substantially vertically and `any suitable type of foraminous floor 44 extending between and secured to the diaphragms 43. The crosswise extending inverted channel members 41 connect the end portions of the diaphragms 43.

The vertical edges of the plate 25 are provided with flanges 45 directed toward the end wall B and angle members 4d are secured, preferably by welding, to the flanges 45 and the body part of the plate 2- to form hollow columns 48 extending from the upper margin to the lower margin of the plate 29, Pedestals 49 depending below the plate 26 are inserted in the lower ends of the hollow columns 48 and rollers 5I are pivotally mounted on the lower ends of the pedestals 49. A part of the side lining 52 adjacent the ice bunker is offset outwardly; that is, the side walls A in this region are thinner than at the central portions of the car. Tracks 54 are mounted upon the floor C of the car upon which the rollers 5I operate; the upper part of the bulkhead 25 is guided by rollers 55 mounted upon horizontally extending journals 51 fixed to the bulkhead 25. The upper rollers 55 operate in inwardly facing channels 58 secured to the side The auxiliary rack 42 walls A of the car. The auxiliary floor rack 42 is spaced from the side wall A on opposite sides of the car to provide openings for the passage of the pedestals 49 during adjusting of the bulkhead 25.

The bulkhead 25 may be adjusted either to the position shown in Fig. 1 wherein the part of the car between the end wall B and the bulkhead 25 is used as an ice bunker or to the position shown in Fig. 2 wherein the entire interior of the car is used to carry the lading. In order to anchor the bulkhead in either of the above described positions the following means are provided:4

At the lower part of the bulkhead 25, a plurality of spaced apart vertically extending channels 52 are provided on the lower reinforcing member 34, the channels facing away from the adjacent end wall B. In line with each channel 62 an aperture 63 is provided in the inverted channel members 41 and an angle-shaped locking pin 65 is provided within each channel 62 and arranged so that the lower end thereof fits into an aperture 63 in an inverted channel member 41. Holes are provided in the flanges 68 of the channels 52 for the insertion of bolts 59 when it is desired to lock the bulkhead 25 in either position. The pins 65 are inserted through the apertures 63, G4 in either the front or rear channel members 41 of the auxiliary rack 42 and bolts 69 inserted through the flanges 63 of the channels 62 bear against the horizontal legs 12 of the lo-cking pins d5 to prevent the upward movement thereof. It is evident from Fig. l that a thrust by the lading upon the bulkhead is transinitted by the locking pins 65 to the auxiliary rack 42 and thence to the lower part of the plate 9 which forms a part of the end wall B. It may be desirable to bolt, or otherwise secure, the diaphragins 43 to the crosswise extending members 10, or any other suitable part of the floor structure C, for the purpose cf transmitting a portion of the thrust to the underframe of the car.

When it is desired to free the bulkhead for adjustment, the locking pins E5 may be moved upwardly and bolts inserted through the upper holes 14 and arranged to underlie the horizontal legs 12 of the locking pins 65. At the upper part of the bulkhead 25, a substantially similar locking arrangement is provided. The spaced apart channels 15 are secured to the upper reinforcing member 33 and T-shape locking pins 11 slide in the channels and are arranged to be inserted through holes provided in the carline 2 when the bunker is extended or in the recesses 18 when the bun-ker is collapsed.

The portions of the metallic plates 9, 2B which form the webs of the corrugations II, 28 are preferably perforated (35) and the metal removed from such perforations is preferably left attached to the plates 9, 26 at the lower margins of the perforations so as to form inverted louvers 86, or in other words, tongues projecting into the flues I1, 39. It is apparent from Fig. 4 that the tongues formed in the corrugated plate 9 of the end wall B project toward the exterior of the end wall and that the tongues formed in the bulkhead plates 25 project toward the lading compartment 31 of the car. When the bunker is collapsed and the corrugated plates 9, 26 of the end wall and the bulkhead are nested, the tongues 85 do not interfere with such nesting. It is pointed out that the perforations 85 reqired to form such tongues are substantially in the neutral axes of the corrugated plates so that ,l said plates, as well as the tongues 86, are cooled by the ice. Air flowing through the lues l1, 39 is cooled by contact with the plates 9, 26 and the tongues B6 projecting into the lues agitate the air flowing therethrough so as to provide more complete contact between the air and the Y cold plates 9, 26, including the tongues 86. A portion of the air may also be directed by the tongues 86 through the perforations 85 so as to come in direct contact with the ice in the bunker.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof, within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart side walls and an end wall, a metallic plate secured to the inner side of said end wall in flatwise relation therewith, said plate having vertically extending corrugations, and a bulkhead extending substantially between said side walls, said bulkhead comprising a metallic plate formed with vertically extending corrugations, said bulkhead being normally inspaced relation with said end wall plate to provide a refrigerant compartment therebetween, said bulkhead being movable toward said end wall plate until the corrugations of the bulkhead nest with the corrugations of the end wall plate.

2. In a refrigerator car having spaced apartside walls and an end wall, a metallic plate secured to the inner side cf said end wall in flatwise relation therewith, said plate having vertically extending corrugations. which form ues between the corrugations and the end wall, a bulkhead extending substantially between said side walls, said bulkhead comprising a metallic plate formed with vertically extending corrugations, said bulkhead being normally in spaced relation with said end wall plate to provide a refrigerant compartment therebetween, said bulkhead being movable toward said end wall plate until the corrugations of the bulkhead nest with the corrugations of the end wall plate, and apertures in said corrugations to provide for air flow from theinterior of the car through said flues.

3. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart side walls and an end wall, a metallic plate secured to the inner side of said end wall in flatwise relation therewith, said plate having vertically extending corrugations, a bulkhead extending substantially between said side walls, said bulkhead comprising a metallic plate formed with vertically extending corrugations, and a sheathing disposed in flatwise relation with the last mentioned plate to form flues between the sheathing and the corrugations, said bulkhead being normally in spaced relation with said end wall plate to provide a refrigerant compartment therebetween, said bulkhead being movable toward said end wall plate until the corrugations of the bulkhead nest with the corrugations of the end wall plate, and apertures in said corrugations to provide for air flow from the interior of the. car through said ues.

4. In a refrigerator car having spaced apartA side walls and an end wall, a metallic plate secured to the inner side'of said end wall in iiatwise relation therewith, said plate having ver-` tically extending corrugations which form flues between the corrugations and the end wall, a bulkhead extending substantially between said side walls, said bulkhead comprising a metallic A plate formed with vertically extending corrugations, and a sheathing disposed in flatwise relation with the last mentioned plate to form flues between the sheathing and the corrugations, said'bulkhead being normally in spaced relation with said end wall plate to provide a refrigerant compartment therebetween, said bulkhead being movable toward said end wall plate until the corrugations of the bulkhead nest with the corrugations of the end Wall plate, and apertures in said corrugations to provide for air flow from the interior of the car through said flues.

5. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart side walls andan end wall, a metallic plate secured to the inner side of said end wall in fiatwise relation therewith, said plate having ver-` tically extending corrugations which form flues between the corrugations and the end wall, a

relation with said end wall plate to provide a` t refrigerant compartment therebetween, said bulkhead being movable toward said end wall plate until the corrugations of the bulkhead nest with the corrugations of the end wall plate,

and apertures in said corrugations to provide for air flow from the interior of the car through said flues, both of said plates havingV vertical louvers projecting into said liues so as not to interfere with the nesting of said plates.

6. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart side walls and an end wall, a metallic plate secured to the inner side of said end wall in flatwise relation therewith, said plate having vertically extending corrugations, a bulkhead extending substantially between said side walls, said bulkhead comprising a metallic plate formed with vertically extending corrugations, said bulkhead being normally in spaced relation with said end wall plate to provide a refrigerant compartment therebetween, said bulkhead being movable toward said end wall plate until the corrugations of the bulkhead nest with the corrugations of the end wall plate, apertures in both of said plates, and louvers associated' with said apertures to direct air therethrough and arranged so as not to interfere with the nesting of said corrugations.

7. In combination with the side and end walls of a refrigerator car, a bulkhead normally spaced from said end wall to form a refrigerant container therebetween, said end wall including a metallic plate facing the interior of the car and formed with a plurality of corrugations, said bulkhead being movable toward said end wall and being comprised of a metallic plate facing said end wall and formed with a plurality of corrugations adapted to nest in said iirst mentioned corrugations when the bulkhead is adjacent the end wall.

8. In combination with the side and end walls of a refrigerator car, a bulkhead normally spaced from said end wall to form a refrigerant container therebetween, said end wall including a metallic plate facing the interior of the car and formed with a plurality of corrugations arranged to reinforce said end wall, said bulkhead being movable toward said end wall and being comprised of a metallic plate facing said end wall and formed with a plurality of corrugations adapted to nest in said first mentioned corrugations when the bulkhead is adjacent the end Wall, said second mentioned plate forming the principal structural member of said bulkhead.

9'. In combination with the side and end walls of a refrigerator car, a bulkhead normally spaced from said end wall to form a refrigerant container therebetween, said end wall including a metallic plate facing the interior of the car and formed with a plurality of vertically extending corrugations, said bulkhead being movable toward said end wall and being comprised of a metallic plate facing said end wall and formed with a plurality of corrugations adapted to nest in said first mentioned corrugations when the bulkhead is adjacent the end wall.

l0. In combination with the side and end walls of a refrigerator car, a bulkhead normally spaced from said end wall to form a refrigerant container therebetween and to define, in part, a lading compartment on the opposite side of the bulkhead, said end wall including a metallic plate facing the interior of the car and formed with a plurality of vertically extending corrugations, said bulkhead being movable toward said end wall and being comprised of a metallic plate facing said end wall and formed with a plurality of corrugations adapted to nest in said first mentioned corrugations when the bulkhead is adjacent the end wall, said bulkhead including a relatively smooth sheathing facing said lading compartment.

ll. In combination with the side and end walls` of a refrigerator car, a bulkhead normally spaced from said end Wall to form a refrigerant container therebetween and to define, in part, a

lading compartment on the opposite side of the bulkhead, said end wall including a metallic plate facing the interior of the car and formed with a plurality of vertically extending corrugations, said bulkhead being-movable toward said end wall and being comprised of a metallic plate facing said end wall and formed with a plurality of corrugations adapted to nest in said first mentioned corrugations when the bulkhead is adjacent the end Wall, said bulkhead including a relatively smooth sheathing facing said lading compartment and cooperating with said second mentioned corrugated plate to form flues for air circulation.

12. In a railway car, a pair of relatively movable wall members each including a metallic plate formed with vertically extending corrugations and facing the plate of the other of said members, said members normally disposed in spaced a part relation to form a compartment therebetween, at least one of said members being movable toward the other of said members until the respective plates are contiguous with their corrugations nesting.

13. In a railway car, a pair of relatively movable wall members each including a metallic plate formed with vertically extending corrugations and facing the plate of the other of said members, said members normally disposed in spaced apart relation to form a refrigerant compartment therebetween, at least one of said members being movable toward the other of said members until the respective plates are contiguous with their corrugations nesting, and means cooperating with said corrugated plates to form air flues on opposite sides of said refrigerant compartment and arranged so as not to interfere with the nesting of said plates.

HORACE GIDDINGS. 

